Cash register and indicator



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. J. WEBSTER. CASH REGISTER AND INDICATOR. No. 486,325. Patented Sept. 9; 1890.

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(No Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. J. WEBSTER.

CASH REGISTER AND INDICATOR. No. 436,325.

Patented Sept. 9, 1890 PJjI WItFIESSES l VEFbEEI Whfifim I (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3. J. J. WEBSTER. CASH REGIGTER AND INDICATOR.

Patented Sept. 9, 1890.

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(No Model.)

J. J. WEBSTER.

CASH REGISTER AND INDICATOR.

No. 436.325. Patented Sept. 9, 1890.

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zrzns 0a., Puma-47146., WASHINGTON, n. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JEROME J. WEBSTER, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE BOSTON CASH INDICATOR AND RECORDER COMPANY, OF BANGOR,

MAINE.

CASH REGISTER AND INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 436,325, dated September 9, 1890.

Application filed March 26, 1890- .To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JEROME J. WEBSTER, a subject of Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, re

siding at Somerville,in the county of MiddleseX and Commonwealth of Massachusetts,

- have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Cash Indicators and Registers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to cash indicators and registers; and it consists in the devices and combinations hereinafter described and claimed, which embrace means for indicating and registering and means of opening, closing, and locking the money-receptacles.

In the accompanying drawings, on four sheets, Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section, on the line 1 1 in Fig. 2, of a cash indicator and register constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the indicating tablets or signals, the registering-wheels and their act uating-racks and stop-levers, the keys in vertical section, a part of the locking-rod and its arms; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the lower part of the case, which contains the money-receptacles and of the parts supported thereon, the upper part of the case being omitted; Fig. 2, an isometric view of the rack on the rocking frame, showing the projec- 3o tions on said rack which operate the double pawl; Fig. 3, a section on the line 3 3 in Fig. 1, showing part of the frame, the signal-locking rod, the unlocking-lever, the rocking frame, the rock-shaft in section, an arm of 3 5 said rock-shaft,a slotted link connecting said arm and said rocking frame, the key-looking bar, and means of holding the same in its locking position; Fig. i, a section on the line 4 4 in Fig. 2 of part of the frame, the rack- 0 segment of the rocking frame, showing also part of the double pawl which engages the rack of said segment; Fig. 5, a front elevation of the pawl which engages the rack-segment; Fig. 6, a vertical section on the line 6 6 in Fig. 1, showing, in side elevation, keys, the key-lock, registering devices, the drawerlock, part of the drawer-unlocking devices, and a part of the signal locking and unlocking devices; Fig. 7, a side elevation of the units-registering devices, the stop-levers I, be-

Serial No. 345,395. (No model.)

ing in vertical section; Fig. 8, a side elevation of the pinion of the lowest units-wheel, the rack which operates the same, and a sec tion of the arm of the registering-lever which operates said rack; Fig. 9, a front elevation of the units stop-wheel, a part of its stop-lever, a part of the stop-lever of the next higher denomination, the stop-wheel being broken away to show the pinion and part of the rack; Fig. 10, an isometric perspective view of a part of the graduated registering-lever and the arm thereof which engages the registering-rack; Fig. 11, a vertical section on the line 11 11 in Fig. 12 of a part of the frame and of the fulcrum-rod and rocking frame, showing in side elevation the rack-segment of said rocking frame, part of the pawl which engages the same, part of a keyand its rack, the pawl which engages said last-named rack, (partly in section,) and the key-locking bar, partly in section; Fig. 12, a plan of a section of the indicating and registering devices of a single section of the machine and of the keys, the rocking frame, and registering-lever of said section; Fig. 13,a vertical central section of the stationary money-receptacle, its cover, and a part of the case, showing in side elevation a part of one of the arms of said cover, the sliding bolt which looks said cover, and a part of the means for drawing said bolt; Fig. 13, similar to Fig. 13, showing a modification of the bolt and means of raising the same; Fig. 14, a horizontal section on theline 14 14: in Fig. 6, showing the movable drawer, its closing-springs, and locking devices in plan; Fig. 15, a section from front to back of a signal-lever and a side elevation of the upper part of a signal-rod; Fig. 16, a horizontal section of signal-rods, and a plan of a part of the frame which guides said rods; Fig. 17, an enlarged view of a part 'of what is shown in Fig. 13.

The case C is of the usual construction, except that the front upper portion of the lower part of case, at c, is curved concentrically with 5 the pivot of the cover or the stationary till T, the upper portion of the case, which incloses the registering, indicating, and alarm devices, (not shown,) supported upon the table 0 in the usualmanner, to prevent their being tam- IOO pered with, not being shown. The signals which indicate the amount of a purchase are visible through glazed openings, with which the upper part of the case is provided in the .usual manner.

' such sections being shown in Fig. 1.

Upon the rear arm of each key rests a sig' nal-rod 8, these rods being arranged successively farther from the fulcrum-rod F from right to left in each section of the machine, as shown in Fig. 16.

The signals S are not carried directly by the signal-rods s, as is customary, but each signal is secured to a signallever s, and all the levers of the same section of the machine turn upon a common fulcrum 5 supported upon the frame of the machine, all of the levers of the same section being parallel, and each of said signal-levers being directly over one of the signal-rods, so that the depression of any key raises some one of the signals up into a vertical position, as shown by dotted lines in the right section of Fig. 1, each of said signals bearing a number corresponding to the number on the key by which it is raised, as usual. In each section a rocking frame or bar 13 is extended over all the keys parallel with the fulcrum-rod, and is provided with arms Z), journaled on said fulcrum-rod, substantially as shown and described in Patent N 0. 377,342, granted to me January 31, 1888, so that each rocking frame is raised by the depression of any key of its section.

Below the f ulcrum-rod F is ar "anged a rockshaft J, journaled in the frame of the machine and provided with as many arms j as there are rocking frames, each arm j having a stud j, (see Figs. 2, 3, and 6,) which projects laterally therefrom and projects through a slot 3' in a linkj, pivoted at its upper end to one of the arms I) of a rocking frame B.

A locking-rod L slides horizontally in the frame of the machine, being drawn in one direction'to the right, as shown, by a spring 1, connecting said rod and the frame of the machine, said locking-rod being moved in the other direction by a bent lever M, pivoted on the frame of the machineat m, and having at its upper end an incline or cam surface, which, when. said lever is turned: upon its fulcrum, presses against an inclined side of a projection Z on said locking-rod and draws said locking-rod against the force of said spring. The locking-rod lever M is so rocked by its lower front end m being struck by the free end of an arm j when any rocking frame 13 is raised by the depression of a keyof the machine, the locking-rod being common to all the sections of the machine, there being but one locking-rod lever for all the sections of the machine.

The signal-levers s are all of the same length, and the free end of any signal-lever is raised high enough by the complete depression of the corresponding key to allow an upward projection Z on the locking-rodL (there being one such projection Z for each section of the machine) to be drawn under the end of said signal-lever and prevent the falling of the same, thus holding the signal and its lever in the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. Upon the depression of any otherkey of the machine the locking-rod will be moved against the resistance of its spring Z far enough to draw the projection Z out from under the free end of the raised signal-lever, and in the manner above described the signal-lever raised by the depression of the second key will be held, by the return of the locking-rod to its normal position, in a raised position, Where it may be seen through the glazed opening of the case.

In addition to the keys used in the ordinary operation of the machine, there is a blank key K, the front arm of which is shaped like the corresponding part of one of the keys K, the rear arm of which, however, is bent downward and back again, as shown at in Figs. 2, 11, and,12, to allow said blank to be depressed without affecting the registering-lever hereinafter described, but merely affecting the rocking frame in the manner above described, so that this blank key, having no signal to correspond with it when depressed, merely causes the locking-rod to be pushed aside and all the signals to be restored to position, and through the rocking frame gives access to the money-receptacles hereinafter described.

Each key is provided with an arc-shaped rack 70 ,subst-antially as shown in another application, Serial No. 295,137, filed by me January 2, 1889, except that in said pending application the arc is arranged above the body of the key, instead of below the same, as shown in the drawings of this application, and back of the racks extends a pawl 75, a separate pawl for each bank of keys to engage the rack of any key of a single bank, the pawl being pivoted at its lower edge at 7& and having forwardly-extending arms supporting a bar is, Fig. 11., the weight of which is suflicient to keep the upper edge of the pawl thrown forward against the racks of the keys. Then a key is partly depressed, said pawl engages with a rack of said key and prevents the return of the key to its normal position until the disengaging of said pawl from said rack by means hereinafter described. The rocking frame B, above named, is provided with an arc-shaped rack b, Fig. 2, having at its lower enda backwardly-projeeting finger b IIO pawl 70 and throws the same backward out of engagement with the rack of the key and allows the key to return to position,said pawl being held out of engagement with the rack of the key by a pivoted catch-lever in, (see Figs. 2 and 11,) said lever being pivoted at k to the frame of the machine and having on the un-- der side of its rear arm a shoulder is, which drops down in front of said pawl and prevents the re-engagement of said pawl with said rack until the key has returned to its normal position and until the rocking frame B, in returning to its normal position, strikes upon the front end of said catch-lever and raises said shoulder 70 above said pawl.

The teeth 12 of the rack 13 are on the rear or convex portion of the same, and are engaged alternately by the upper and lower pawls 19 b Figs. 2 and 5, of the double pawl b, pivoted on the frame of the machine at W, and having a backwardly-extending arm 12 which terminates in a wedge b, which rests against the wedge-shaped upper end I) of a spring I), secured at its lower end to the frame of the machine in such a manner as to hold either pawl of the double pawl b in engagement with the teeth of the rack-segment. Each pawl of the double pawl has a laterallyprojecting stud, (see Figs. 2, 4, and 5,) and these studs Z9 12 project from opposite sides of said double pawl. The rack-segment b is provided on each side with a projection b b, extending beyond the curved rear face of the rack in such a manner that one 12 of said projections will strike the stud 19 when said segment is rising and the pawl 19 is in engagement with said segment, rocking said double pawl upon its pivot and bringing the pawl b into engagement with said rack-segment, and so that when the rocking frame returns to position the stud 19 will be struck by the projection 11 and again bring the upper pawl into engagement with said segment, these changes taking place just as the rocking frame B reaches the end of its motion in either direction, thus requiring said rocking frame to complete its motion in one direction before it can be moved in the other direction. (See Fig. 2%)

The registering-lever I, Fig. 10, is substantially as shown in said Patent No. 377,342, and consists of a bar 6, arranged parallel -to the rod F, in the rear of the same and extending above all the keys of the section, except the blank key-if there be a blank key in the section-said registering-lever being connected to said fulcrum-rod by arms t" 7?, which turn loosely on said fulcum-rod and allow said registering-lever to be raised by the depression of any key except the blank key.

The bar z of the registering-lever I is provided on its under side with a series of steps i so graduated that the depression of any key will move said registering-lever an angular distance corresponding to the number on said key-that is to say, the key numbered 3 moves the registering-lever through three times as great an angular distance as the key numbered 1, supposing each of said keys to be fully depressed.

The registering-lever I is provided with a backwardly-extending arm i having a forked end i, as shown in Figs. 7 and 10, the fork of said arm engaging a stud if, supported horizontally in ears at the lower end of a rack R, having a vertical movement in brackets a a a so that the depression of any key raises said rack R, and the amount of the motion of the rack in a vertical direction will correspond to the number of the key, by the depression of which it is raised.

The teeth 0 of the rack R engage a pinion 1", which turns freely on a horizontal stud a projecting from the frame of the machine, and an arm r is secured to said pinion 1" and has pivoted upon it a pawl r which engagesthe teeth of a ten-toothed ratchet 0", arranged concentrically with said pinion butindependent thereof.

To the ten-toothed ratchet, concentrically therewith, is secured a ten-toothed wheel T the teeth of which are of the shape shown, the ends being rounded or flattened instead of pointed. Obviously, the depression of any of the keys bearing numbers which in the aggregate amount to ten will give the ten-toothed ratchet and the wheel 1' a complete revolution.

The wheel r is provided with a pin 0"", which projects from its rear face, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 9, and as more fully shown in Fig. 12, and which once in every revolution of said wheel r engages a wheel 0", precisely like the wheel W, and rotates said wheel 1" an angular distance measured by one tooth of said last-named wheel, or, in other words, rotates it one-tenth of a revolution.

The wheel W, as shown in Fig. 1, laps over the wheel T and there may be a series of wheels precisely like the wheel T and each, except the last one of the series, carrying a pin 0*, adapted to rotate the wheel next to the left at every revolution of the wheel which carries said pin, four such wheels 1' 7- r r being shown in each section of the machine in Fig. 1.

To each of the registering-wheels TM '1 4- concentrically therewith, is secured a registering-cylinder 7 4' r W, carrying the ten numerals from 0 to 9, arranged at equal distances apart. The first wheel r of the series of registering-wheels in each section of the machine is prevented from overregistration by a stop-lever r pivoted on the frame of the machine at r, and having a forward projection 1", adapted to be struck by the rocking frame or by a backward projection b and raise the free end, as represented, the right end into the teeth of said registeringwheel T The second wheel 7" of the series is prevented from over-registration by an other stop-lever r pivoted on the frame of the machine, as shown in Fig. 1, and bent upward at its lower or left end in such a manner as to fit one of the interdental spaces of i when said last-named wheel has been given one-tenth of a revolution by the pin r on the wheel r, as above described.

The wheel 1' has the most need of a device to prevent over-rotation, because it is liable to be rotated nine-tenths of a revolution at one time and moves quite rapidly, and the second Wheel of the series o is likely to be struck so suddenly by the pin r on the wheel 7' as to make it a matter of prudence to provide a special stopping device for the second registering-wheel also.

All the registering-wheels are prevented from being jarred out of place by spring-retaining pawls r r "r r having their free ends shaped to fill interdental spaces in the registering-wheels, and these retaining-pawls are also suffioient to prevent overregistra tionby any of the registering-wheels after the second of the series;

The registering-wheels are set in their 0 or starting position by turning each wheel in the direct-ion in which it is numbered, beginning at the left of the series and turning said wheels alternatelyin opposite direction s, said wheels being alternately numbered in opposite directions, until each of said wheels shows a figure 9 at the top, and then giving the wheel o of the series one-tenth of a revolution to 0, which will cause all the other wheels of the series to make one-tenth of a revolution alternately in opposite directions, and cause each wheel to show its 0-mark at the top.

The registering-wheels may be so turned by a wrench applied to the square or manysided hubs r r r r of the registeringwheels, or by grasping a milled flange 0', with which each registering-cylinder is provided, as shown in Fig. 2.

The blank key K may be prevented from operation by a lever which turns on a pivot is secured to the frame of the machine, and which may be swung over said key, it being remembered that this lever and the frame of the machine are within the closed upper portion of the case of the machine, of which the proprietor holds the key, so that without his permission said lever cannot be moved.

All of the keys, including the blank key, are normally prevented from operating by means of a bar Q, which extends over the rear ends of all the keys and is provided with arms g, which extend downward from said bar at opposite ends of the entireseries of keys and are pivoted at qupon the frame of the machine, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 6, and 11,

the lower ends of said-arms q being'bent forward nearly horizontally and connected to a weighted bar Q, Fig. 11, heavy enough to throw the bar Q normally forward over the ends of the keys.

The bar Q is thrown backward off from the keys by means of rod g which reaches into an ear g having a depression g to receive the end of said rod, and said rod slides in cars a a, projecting from the frame A, and reaches through thefront part of the case, as shown in Fig. 6, terminating in a button or enlarged head g by pressing which backward the keys are released from said bar Q. The rod (1 is provided with a downward projection or shoulder g", which, when the rod is pushed in far enough, engages the back of the car a and prevents the bar Q from returning to position until a key is depressed.

The depression of anykey, by rockingsome one of the rocking frames B, rocks the rock-shaft J, connected to all of said rocking frames, raising the free end of the arm j and causing the stud j, above described, to lift the rod 1 until its shoulder g is released from the ear a when a spring q surrounding said rod between its head g and the nearly-closed end of a sleeve g extending through the front of the case, throws said rod forward to its normal position.

The elasticity of the rod g is relied upon to hold the shoulder q in engagement with the car (1 the under side of said shoulder being inclined upward and backward, allowing it to inward.

pass said ear when said rod is pushed When in a rush of business it is desired to hold the bar Q permanently out of engagement with the keys, the.rod g is pushed in, as above described, and turned about its axis one-fourth of a revolution, and the shoulder on said rod will then-remain in engagement with said ear a notwithstanding the lifting of said rod by the studj', above described.

Another rod P is jointed at its rear end, at p, to the bar Q, and extends forward nearly to the inside of the front part of the case, (see Fig. 3,) and at its front end is jointed or pivoted, at p, to the lower end of a bent lcver P, said lever being pivoted on a bracket a secured to the inside of the front of the. case, the upper nearly horizontal arm of said lever extending over a lock 19 also secured on the inside of the front of said case, and being struck andheld in a raised position when the bolt 19 of said lock is shot upward.

The lock is of any usual construction, operated by a key, and when the bolt is shot prevents the downward movement of the upper arm of the leverP and therefore prevents the bar Q from being thrown out of engagement with the keys. This enables the proprietor to prevent operation of the machine at any time, when desired. In the lower part of the case at the top of said lower part and in front of the keys is arranged a stationary till T, intended for the reception of coins,

ITO

bills and paper money being deposited in a sliding drawer D, arranged below said stationary till. The stationary till is normally closed by a swinging cover T, said cover being provided with arms, rigidly secured to the sides or ends thereof, and said arms being pivoted at t to the opposite sides of the case, as represented in Figs. 6 and 13, and in front of the center of gravity of said cover and its arms, so that said cover will open, whenever free to do so, by swinging backward.

The cover T is normally locked by a bolt 15, preferably of the form shown in Figs. 13 and 17, said bolt sliding in ears a a secured to the under side of the table 0 and thrown forward by a spring 25 surrounding said bolt and compressed between a, shoulder i with which said bolt is provided, and the ear a", so that the front end of said bolt is forced into a hole t in the .top of said till-cover when said till-cover is closed.

The till-cover T is unlocked by an incline 15, (on the lower end of a rod 6 which slides nearly vertically through a hole in the table a, and at its upper end is jointed to an arm 7' projecting from the rock-shaft J being lifted against an incline on the under side of said bolt, which evidently takes place whenever any key is depressed.

In a bracket a, secured to the under side of the table 0 is pivoted a catch 6 provided with a downwardly-projecting hook 15 which engages a shoulder t on the bolt t',when said bolt is drawn back far enough to allow the till-cover T to open, said catch 25 being thrown downward into such engagement by its own weight. The catch 25 is provided with a forwardly-proj ecting lower arm 25 which when the till-cover is closed is struck by a projection i securedto the back of said till-cover, causing the catch to be turned 011 its pivot and the hook t to be lifted out of engagement with the shoulder 75 011 the bolt 23, and allowing said bolt to be thrown forward to lock said cover, as above described.

In Fig. 13, instead of asliding bolt a springrod 75 is shown, secured at its lower end to the under side of the table 0 and in front of its rear end, connected by a link to the arm. j on the rock-shaft, so that on the depression of any key the front end of said springrod is raised above the rear edge of a till cover, allowing said cover to swing open. When said till-cover is closed, the front end of the spring-rod springs down behind said cover and prevents the same being opened until the shaft J is again rocked.

The sliding drawer D is normally locked in the case by a lever d, (see Figs. 6 and 14,) two such levers being used, preferably, each pivoted upon stands a secured to the inside of the lower part of the case. The rear arm of each lever d is heavier than the front arm of the same, and is preferablybent downward at its rear end (Z to enter a notch (1 formed in the side of the drawer, when the drawer is closed, and prevent said drawer being opened. The drawer is unlocked when the stationary till is opened by the rear edge of the till cover striking and throwing down the front arms of the levers d and raising the rear ends of said levers out of the notches 61 so that when the stationary till is opened the drawer D is unlocked. 1 The drawer D is opened, when desired, by hand, and not automatically. When the drawer is opened it is held open by a vertical bolt d which slides in a bracket c0 secured to the inside of the case 0, engaging said notch (:1 said bolt being thrown downward by a spring d surrounding said vertical bolt and compressed between a collar d on saidbolt and the bracket a A lever d is pivoted to the inside of the case at a its rear end passing through aslot in said vertical bolt in such a manner that when the till is closed by drawing forward the till-cover '1", said cover strikes the front end of said lever d depressing the same and raising said bolt. When the vertical bolt is disengaged from the drawer the drawer is drawn back into the case by a spring (i (shown in Figs. 6 and 14,) said spring consisting of plates 61 connected together in pairs at their outer ends by links or rings (i passing through'both plates of a pair, two such pairs being used and the rear plate of the rear pair being secured at the middle to the inside of the back of the case and the front plates of the rear pair being secured to the rear plate of the front pair of plates.

The front plate of the front pair of plates is connected to a chain, or cord, or tape' of steel (1 said chain, cord, or tape being provided at its front end with a loop or ring which is passed over a stud driven into the top of the drawer D or into a partition, as shown in Figs. 6 and 14.. By disengaging the loop or ring (Z from the stud d, the drawer maybe removed from the case. It will be seen that closing the till causes the drawer to be closed and locked by the lovers cl.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of a series of numbered keys, a registering-lever mounted on the same axis with the keys, a numbered registering-wheel rotated by the complete depression of any key a distance corresponding to the number of said key, a rocking frame operated by the depression of a key, and a stop-lever operated by the rocking frame to prevent overregistration, substantially as described.

2. The combination of two toothed registering-wheels, one of said wheels being provided with two pins, one of said pins being adapted to engage the teeth of the other of said wheels and to rotate the latter an angular space measured by one tooth thereof at every complete revolution of the wheel carrying said pin, and a pivoted stop-lever adapted to be struck by the other of said pins and IIO to be thrown into engagement with the teeth of said driven wheel, as and for the purpose specified. Y

3. The combination of the case, the drawer sliding therein, and a spring secured within said case and connected to said drawer to close said drawer, as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination of the case, the drawer sliding therein, and a spring secured within said case and detachably connected to said drawer to close said drawer, as and for the purpose specified.

5. The combination of the case, the drawer sliding therein, a spring secured within said case and connected to said drawer to close said drawer, and a bolt to hold said drawer open, as and for the purpose specified.

6. The combination of the case, the drawer sliding therein, and a spring consisting of spring-plates joined in pairs at their ends, the rear one of said plates being secured between its ends within said case, and the front one of said plates being connected between its ends to said drawer, as and for the purpose specified.

7. The combination of two receptacles adapted to be opened and closed independently of each other for money, one of which is stationary and provided with a swinging cover and the other of which is a drawer, and means I whereby said drawer,when open, will be closed upon the closing of said stationary receptacle, as and for the purpose specified.

8. The combination of two receptacles adapted to be opened and closedv independently of each other for money, one of which is stationary, and provided with a swinging cover and the other of which is a drawer, a spring to close said drawer, andmeansadapted to hold said drawer open and to release said drawer upon the closing of said stationary receptacle, as and for the purpose specified.

9. The combination of the case having a stationary receptacle, a swinging cover adapted to close said receptacle, keys, and abolt to hold said cover in its closing position and adapted to be moved and locked out of oper" ative position by the operation of any key to unlock said cover, as and for the purpose specified.

10. The combination of the case having a stationary receptacle, a swinging cover adapted to close said receptacle, keys, a bolt, a

spring to throw said bolt into engagement with said cover, and a pivoted hook adapted to engage said bolt and to hold the same out of engagement with said cover when said cover is open, and to be struck by said cover to release said bolt, as and for the purpose specified.

11. The combination of the case having a stationary receptacle, a swinging cover adapted to close said receptacle, keys, a bolt, a spring to throw said bolt into engagement with said cover, a rock-shaft operated by any of said keys, and provided with an arm, and a rod pivoted to said arm, and having an incline which rests against an incline with which said bolt is provided,whereby the operation of any key will draw said bolt, as and for the purpose specified.

12. The combination of a series of keys, each provided with an arc-shaped rack, a pawl engaging the rack of any such key when said key is partially depressed to prevent the return of said key to its normal position, a rocking frame operated by the depression of any such key, and having a finger adapted to throw said pawl out of engagement with the rack of such key when said key is fully depressed, and'a catch-lever adapted to engage said pawl and to hold the same out of engage 'ment with said rack to allow sa d key to return to its normal position, as and for the purpose specified.

13. The combination of a series of keys, each provided with an arc-shaped rack, a pawl engaging the rack of any such key when said key is partially depressed, to prevent the return of said key to its normal position, a rocking frame operated by the depression of any such key, and having a finger adapted to throw said pawl out of engagement with the rack of such key when said key is fully depressed, and a catch-lever adapted to engage said pawl and to hold said pawl out of engagement with said rack, and to be disengaged from said pawl by the return of said rocking frame to its normal position, as and for the purpose specified.

1-1. The combination of a series of keys, the rocking frame, operated in one direction by the depression of any key and automatically returned to its normal position and provided with a rack having two projections, a

pivoted double pawl having two laterally. projecting studs and having an. upper pawl and a lower pawl, a spring adapted to hold each of said pawlssinglyin engagement with said rack, one of said projections on said rack being adapted to strike a stud on said double pawl when the rocking frame is rising and the other of said projections being adapted to strike the other of said studs when said rocking-frame is -returnin g to position, to turn said double pawl upon its pivot and to cause its single pawls alternately to engage said rack just at the completion of its movements and to compel said rocking frame to complete its movement in one direction before moving in the otherdirection, as and for the purpose specified.

15. The combination, with a series of keys having a common fulcrum and a series of rods, Y

each operated by the depression of its corre sponding key, of a series of lovers, each carrying a signal and operated directly by means of the corresponding rod todisplay the signal, as and for the purpose specified.

16. The combination of a series of keys havin g a common fulcrum, an equal series of vertical signal-rods, each resting upon a key and raised by the depression of said key, and an equal series of signal-levers having a common fulcrum and each resting upon a signal-rod and carry ing a signal, as and for the purpose specified.

17. The combination of a series of keys having a common fulcrum, an equal series of vertical signal-rods, each resting upon a key at successively greater distances from the fulcrum of said keys from end to end of said series of rods, and each raised by the depression of the key on which it rests, and an equal series of signal-levers, having a common fulcrum, arranged at about right angles with the fulcrum of said keys, and each resting upon a signal-rod and carrying a signal, as and for the purpose specified.

18. The combination of a series of keys having a common fulcrum, a series of vertical signal-rods, each resting upon akey and raised by the depression of said key, a series of signal-levers of equal length and having a common fulcrum and each resting upon a signalrod and carrying a signal, a locking-rod having an upward projection and adapted to be moved in one direction by the depression of any key, and a spring to draw said lockingrod in the other direction and to move said projection under the free end of a signal-lever raised by the depression of any key, as and for the purpose specified.

In witness whereof I have signed this specification, in the presence of two attesting witnesses, this 19th day of February,A. D. 1890.

JEROME J. WEBSTER.

Witnesses:

ALBERT M. MOORE, MYRTIE C. BEALS. 

